Simian were an
English electronic rock band, formed in
Manchester in 2000.
Personnel
Simon William Lord (vocals, lead guitar)
James Ellis Ford (drums)
Alex MacNaghten (bass)
James Anthony Shaw (keyboard)
History
Simian were formed while members of the band were studying at
Manchester University. MacNaghten, Shaw and Ford were formerly members of live hip hop drum 'n' bass outfit King Rib, alongside MC Mr. Wrong and DJ Silver.
Main releases
Their debut album
Chemistry Is What We Are was first released in the
UK on 9 July 2001 on Source Records and in the
U.S. on 18 September 2001 on
Astralwerks. The U.S. edition contained two
bonus tracks, "The Tale of Willow Hill" and "Grey", that had previously been released in the UK as part of
The Wisp and
Watch It Glow EPs respectively.
Their second album, We Are Your Friends was released in the UK on 28 October 2002 (on Source Records) and in the U.S. on 29 October 2002 (on Astralwerks). The Japanese release (26 March 2003) also included the bonus tracks, "Out of Bed", "Coins" and "Reasons", the first two of which had previously been released in the UK as B-sides of the "Never Be Alone" single.
Other work
In 2000 the band
recorded a
cover version of the
Prince song "Under the Cherry Moon" from his
album Parade (1986). This song was released on the
tribute album,
If I Was Prince (2001).
The band remixed the track "Playgirl" by Ladytron and remixes by Appliance and Zero 7. They have also remixed the track "Papua New Guinea" by The Future Sound of London.
In 2003, their song "La Breeze" was featured in a Peugeot 1007 advertisement, in the Dove film advertisement "Onslaught", and in a promotional CD distributed by Spin Magazine in 2003.
Split
The band split up in 2005 with Ford and Shaw forming the splinter group
Simian Mobile Disco. The new group is more
dance oriented and are in demand as
remixers and
DJs. Ford is also in the baroque pop group
The Last Shadow Puppets with the
Arctic Monkeys singer
Alex Turner. Lord is now in
The Black Ghosts, an electronica act with
DJ Touche from
The Wiseguys.
In 2006 the single "We Are Your Friends", which is a remix of their song "Never Be Alone", was released on a reactivated Virgin Records subsidiary label called Ten Records. This single was credited to "Justice vs. Simian", and started life as a submission by the French electrohouse outfit Justice in a remix competition. The video for the single won the award for best video at MTV Europe Video Awards 2006. At the MTV Europe Music Awards 2006, fellow nominee Kanye West appeared on stage to complain about the Justice vs. Simian victory. West claimed that the prize should have gone to him, and that he was told prior to the event that he was going to win the award.
Discography
Albums
Chemistry Is What We Are (2001)
We Are Your Friends (2002)
Singles and EPs
The following releases were in the UK only, on Source Records:
Watch It Glow (EP, 16 October 2000)
The Wisp (EP, 21 May 2001)
"One Dimension" (22 October 2001)
"Mr. Crow" (25 February 2002)
"Never Be Alone" (14 October 2002)
"La Breeze" (2 June 2003) -
UK #55
References
External links
Simian official website
Simian Mobile Disco
BBC Collective article on Simian
Category:2000s music groups
Category:English rock music groups
Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2005
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